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. 2018 Apr 24;8(2):e18.
doi: 10.5415/apallergy.2018.8.e18. eCollection 2018 Apr.

Shellfish/crustacean oral allergy syndrome among national service pre-enlistees in Singapore

Bernard Yu-Hor Thong  1 , Shalini Arulanandam  2 , Sze-Chin Tan  1 , Teck-Choon Tan  1 , Grace Yin-Lai Chan  1 , Justina Wei-Lyn Tan  1 , Mark Chong-Wei Yeow  2 , Chwee-Ying Tang  1 , Jinfeng Hou  1 , Khai-Pang Leong  1
Affiliations

Shellfish/crustacean oral allergy syndrome among national service pre-enlistees in Singapore

Bernard Yu-Hor Thong et al. Asia Pac Allergy. .

Abstract

Background: All Singaporean males undergo medical screening prior to compulsory military service. A history of possible food allergy may require referral to a specialist Allergy clinic to ensure that special dietary needs can be taken into account during field training and deployment.

Objective: To study the pattern of food allergy among pre-enlistees who were referred to a specialist allergy clinic to work up suspected food allergy.

Methods: Retrospective study of all pre-enlistees registered in the Clinical Immunology/Allergy New Case Registry referred to the Allergy Clinic from 1 August 2015 to 31 May 2016 for suspected food allergy.

Results: One hundred twenty pre-enlistees reporting food allergy symptoms other than rash alone were referred to the Allergy Clinic during the study period. Of these, 77 (64.2%) had food allergy. Among those with food allergy, mean age was 19.1 ± 1.5 years. They comprised predominantly Chinese (66.2%) and Malays (20.8%). The most commonly reported foods were shellfish/crustaceans (78%), peanut (15.6%), and egg (6.5%). Self-limiting oral allergy syndrome, OAS (itchy lips and throat with/without lip angioedema) was the most common manifestation (n = 33, 42.9%) followed by anaphylaxis (n = 23, 29.9%). Majority of OAS was from shellfish/crustacean (90.6%); of which shrimp (30.3%), crab (15.2%), and lobster (3.0%) were the most common. Mild childhood asthma (69.7%), allergic rhinitis (6.3%), and eczema (6.1%) were the most common atopic conditions among individuals with shellfish/crustacean OAS. This pattern was similar for shellfish/crustacean anaphylaxis. Skin prick tests were most commonly positive for shrimp (OAS 87.1% vs. anaphylaxis 100%), crab (OAS 95.8% vs. 90.9%), and lobster (OAS 91.7% vs. 63.6%).

Conclusion: OAS to shellfish/crustaceans was more common than anaphylaxis among this study population of young males referred for food allergy symptoms other than rash alone.

Keywords: Anaphylaxis; Hypersensitivity; Shellfish.

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